The Lodge Ronda

Rooms

The decoration of the 8 bedrooms mirrors the airy, uplifting vibe of its shared spaces. Owners Pom and Christina - who also own sister property Hotel La Fuente de la Higuera - have worked and travelled throughout the Far East and shipped lamps, four-poster beds, chests and cabinets back from Indonesia: what they didn't find ready-made, they designed themselves.

The dark tropical wood and clean-cut lines are perfectly complemented by mosquito nets, luggage racks, African art and artefacts, and retro sinks and taps: there's more than a hint of Raffles here. Central heating keeps you cosy in winter (The Lodge stands almost 800m above sea level), and all rooms apart from the two lower ones have aircon units for hot summers. Expect top quality linens, a pile of snowy white towels, Gilchrist & Soames smellies, and bathrobes for your forays down to the pool and massage room or studio. Better still, each bedroom has a private terrace with hardwood table, chairs and a hammock.

The nicest of the seven rooms are those which wrap around the garden terrace and dining area. Queen Bee is room 1, which encompasses a massive slice of sleeping space with open hearth, an east-facing deck and comes with a bath and separate shower. Rooms 2 and 3 are in the same wing but face north so get rather less light. Room 2 benefits from having an open hearth (and can be made up as a twin) whilst 3 has a separate bath and shower.

Rooms 4 and 5 give onto the courtyard so feel slightly less private. Both are doubles, room 5 being the larger: it also has an open hearth. Rooms 6 and 7 are down a floor and in a separate wing next to the massage studio (the only rooms without air conditioning because they are naturally cooler). These are slightly smaller but closer to the pool, and can be set up as twins. The massage studio can be set up as the 8th bedroom (a twin) on request, and beds can be added to the yoga studio to sleep a total of 26 people (this is only used for kids, and it doesn't have its own bathroom).

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Bathrobes
• Central heating
• Coffee / tea making
• Cots available
• Fan
• Fireplace
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Iron
• Minibar
• Toiletries
• Tumble dryer
• Washing machine
• WiFi

Eating

Some guests choose to self cater here, in which case you get use of a big snazzy kitchen. But most guests opt for serviced rental, in which meals are very much a part of the whole spoiling experience.

There are 3 packages, and you can choose a different one on different days:

Activities

• Check out a few of the award-winning local bodegas: Conrad, Schatz, Los Aguilares and Descalzos Viejos all get our thumbs up
  
• Chill by the pool, jog through the forest then head for the massage studio and treat yourself to an aromatherapy or hot-stone massage (book in advance). There are various beauty treatments on offer, too
  
• Join in the culinary preparations with the Lodge's chef and learn a few secrets of Spanish cuisine
  
• Wander the labyrinthine streets of Ronda's Moorish quarter and marvel at its bridge and gorge
  
• Play boules on the lawn, slump in your hammock, listen to the birds: staying at the Lodge is about total R&R
  
• Hike in Grazalema or Sierra de las Nieves Parks: the trails are stunning and guides can be arranged
  
• Staff can organise a range of other activities, too: private yoga classes, horse riding, hot-air ballooning, kayaking, guided mountain bike tours
  
• Head off to Granada and the Alhambra for a day: timings work out perfectly with the train
  
• Seville, Cordoba and Málaga are all 2 hours’ drive away - or head for the beach at Marbella
  
• Go underground at the Pileta Cave and check out some of Europe's best preserved troglodyte art

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Cooking classes
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Hot air ballooning
• Kayaking
• Kitesurfing
• Language courses
• Mountain biking
• Museums / galleries
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Well being
• Wildlife
• Wine tasting
• Yoga

Kids

Bambinos are not only allowed but celebrated here and will get masses of TLC from the doting staff. With chickens to feed, woods to explore and a big expanse of lawn to play on, this is the stuff of which kiddie dreams are made, especially if you hire the whole property for a big family reunion.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Baby cots and extra beds are available (1 per room in #1, 2 and 5). All rooms have a bathtub.
On top of the rollaway beds and cots in the main house, there's also the option to put 7 rollaway beds in the yoga studio, so enquire when booking if you'd like to do this. Older kids would probably love the dorm-style independence.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 90 minutes
• Doctors: 10 minutes
• Nearest shop: 5 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Lodge Ronda is set in the countryside near Arriate, 6km from Ronda. It's 90 minutes from Jerez, Gibraltar and Malaga airports. It's about 90 minutes from Seville, two hours from Granada and Cordoba, all of them easily accessible by car or train for daytrips.

By Air
Malaga is the closest, and most popular, airport, but Seville and Jerez are also close. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
The Lodge can arrange a transfer - enquire when booking - but most guests hire a car. See our car rental recommendations. There's plenty of parking space at the Lodge.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Andalucia and getting around